The Assassin's Vendetta
by DarkElf007
Summary: House Telvanni tries to make themselves the most powerful Great House on Vvardenfell, using underhanded tactics. When they're caught, they try to cover their tracks. They should have tried harder. First fic, please give it a read.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I err…don't own Bethesda, and…I have the game. The locations, and some characters in my story are not original, they are taken from the game.

Nadus Onmar had been serving as a Hlaalu guard for almost his entire adult life. He cut a dashing figure, and was quite a favorite among the ladies. Known as a warrior, in every sense of the word, he'd won countless battles with everything ranging from Ash Ghouls, to Golden Saints. He often found himself escorting Hlaalu leaders, and wealthy merchants from town to town. He'd led strike forces against Rival Houses, exterminated countless rogue wizards. He sported the Sword of White Woe, an Ebony Blade that could make any attacker think twice, and gave him the upper edge in almost any battle. He even wore enchanted clothing, to add to the defenses already given to him by his Bonemold armor. House Hlaalu considered him to be their greatest warrior, unbeatable in one on one combat. He was invincible, a walking god of destruction.

Nadus brought his shield up for what must have been the hundredth time in the last two minutes. He followed it with a quick thrust of his enchanted sword, but the assailant danced out of reach again. The strange attackers arm pumped twice, and the silver daggers flew at him again, smacking into his shield. _He doesn't grow tired…_The lightning fast strikes came in even faster now, more often. _How can he keep up such a pace…_The single short sword came with quick, measured thrusts. The silver daggers were always coming at him, always searching for an opening. _How many has he thrown…_ The assailant now drew a dagger, and gave a low stab at his feet, towards Nadus's leg. Nadus thought it was a rather obvious faint, and didn't even bother watching it. Instead, he waited for the short sword to flash toward him. _It's only been a few minutes…certainly the spell has run out now_. His adversary stabbed with his short sword high, and Nadus had to put his shield in his own line of vision. He screamed for assistance again, but no sound was made. Did he cast another spell? Nadus certainly didn't remember him using the amulet again…The assassin _must_ have struck him with _some_ spell. Or was it…

Nadus Onmar crumpled to the ground without a sound. Lucafein wiped his glass dagger clean, and replaced it with his other weapons. _Should have watched the off hand…_ He gathered the silver daggers he had thrown, and replaced them on his bandolier. This one had been quick, and thankfully so. He didn't want to have multiple guards to deal with. He was warned the foe would be formidable, but he was unprepared, and unassisted. Alone, he was no match for the assassin.

Lucafein filed quickly out of the Guard Tower, and padded his weapons. His prize possession, the trademark katana, was not even used. His employer wouldn't even know his real identity. Now, he had the Sword of White Woe, and was returning to Solding to finish this job.

Lucafein knocked three times on the door of the house. The pawnbroker there had long ago left, and the Hlaalu were renting it out to a traveling adventurer. The story was, he wished to buy the Sword of White Woe from Nadus Onmar. An unbelievable sum of gold had been offered, but Nadus had refused. Apparently, Lucafein mused, he should have taken the offer. The door opened, and a diminutive dunmer cracked open the door. He smiled as he opened the door further. "Do you wish to come in?" Lucafein filed past the fop silently cursing the man for asking such an obvious question. He wasn't there to speak with him anyway. The second he walked in, he took note of his surroundings. One exit. Two tables with some candles, and alchemical supplies on it. There were some cabinets, a dresser, multiple and a large bed. All of them were of the finest quality, with enchanted items no doubt hidden away in their depths. A smaller bed was on the opposite side of the room, and a makeshift kitchen was next to it. There was also a weapons rack directly in front of him. Lucafein eyed the weapon he had been promised, and smiled. _Finally finished,_ Lucafein thought. He then looked at the face of his employer.

Solding Valundre had made his riches sacking bandit caves, and plundering tombs. Now, he was a reputed businessman, who was changing business locations. That was the story he put forth anyway. Now, he worked big jobs, manipulating small players for big groups. He had located numerous Morag Tong targets, scouted Dwemer ruins for the Mages, even ferreted out heretics to the Temple. He was an untouchable, above the law, and under the protection of multiple organizations. This time, he was working with the Telvanni, and they offered him the most difficult, and the best paying job he had ever taken. He had been promised (almost…) anything he needed, as long as he proved that their demands were being met. Now, he began to put his plan into motion. He had been given special weapons, valuable jewels, an unseemly amount of gold, and was told to use it as he saw fit. Solding had already finished with the beginning aspects, and now he needed some assassinations carried out. He had twenty three targets, and so far, fifteen had been sent to oblivion. Most of the assassinations had been undertaken by Lucafein and his small clan, and it made business easier. Lucafein and his associates were some of the best fighters and assassins in all of Tamriel, and although expensive, they got the job done. Lucafein was once a revered member of the Morag Tong, and now did freelance assassinations. He was under the protection of the Emperor, it was said, thus the Morag Tong could not retaliate against him for any reason. It was also rumored he took accomplices, and even enchanted relics from the shadowy group. They wanted nothing more then his head on a platter. Such are the prices one pays for celebrity, the Nord thought. Solding brought himself back from contemplation, and studied Lucafein. He seemed so confident, so cocky. He needed to bring him down some, needed him to see who he was dealing with. Needed to see who was really in control. Lucafein prepared to speak, but Solding stopped him with a hand. "I need the weapon, and the ring for me to believe you." Lucafein prepared to speak again, but Solding interrupted. "You can quit talking in that strange voice as well. I know who you are."

Lucafein glowered at the Nord. He was losing an encounter, and he never lost the encounter. He brought forth the sword, and tossed it on the table in front of Valundre. He then grasped the ring, and admired it in the torchlight. It was a golden band, embossed with ebony caricatures. The name of the other Hlaalu. Balmora would be busy tonight. He tossed the ring with his usual nonchalance, and sent a smile at Solding. "I trust this is all the proof you need." Solding took a look at the ring, and the weapon, and nodded his head in approval. He grabbed the sword, and exchanged it with the dagger on the rack. Lucafein grabbed it quickly, and put it in a sheath he had prepared. Solding brought Lucafein's attention back to the matter at hand, by pointing to a bag. Solding then grabbed it with his hands, and showed Lucafein the gleaming contents inside. "Thirty diamonds, thirty rubies, thirty emeralds, forty pearls, and the five-thousand gold. I hope that covers our arrangement." Lucafein nodded in agreement, and made his exit. With the riches Solding had promised him, he was prepared to eradicate a leader of some dark and dangerous cult, to kill a well-guarded noble…perhaps the Emperor himself. In the end, it was simply a high-ranking Hlaalu leader, and a guard. The dagger was the clincher. A High-Ranking member of the Cammonna Tong was after the dagger, and Lucafein needed it to buy their secret services. He walked out of the door, and closed it softly.

Solding looked at his new weapon. The Telvanni would not agree with his ways of using them for his own gains. Smiling, Solding figured they need not know.

Lucafein walked into the Eight Plates, fully expecting the crowd, and the insanity, that was to be there. "I heard it was…" "Well he told me…" "She thinks the murderer is…" Lucafein smiled. Rumors flew about like leaves in the wind, and the one responsible stood in their midst. He needed to hurry and get a room, before the drunk and decrepit laid down for the night. At the rate that everything was going, he would have to act quickly. He also needed an alias while in town. He decided to go with his "scared adventurer" ploy, one that he often used in situations like this. "Err…I hear there has been a murder around here…umm, I was gonna try and find the one responsible." The Barkeep looked at him, and kind of shook his head. "You crazy 'venturin types always come around when trouble does. Always with fancy weapons, and purty armor, struttin' about because your daddy bought ye' everythin' ye've always wanted." Indeed, thought Lucafein. How anyone understood this blathering fool was beyond him. "How much does a room cost? I have ten gold with me, but that's it." The Barkeep looked at him, and laughed. "Ten gold? Ha. Ya' got at least fifteen." Lucafein looked at the barkeep, and just gave a shrug. He handed him the gold, and received the key. Lucafein went to his room, and went about the business of heavily locking and trapping his door. He didn't like the looks the Barkeep gave him, and he liked less the pickpockets about the place. He laid down on the hard bed, and dozed away the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Councilor Aryon, with all due respect, I don't see who else could be behind this!" Sarethi again threw that cursed accusatory finger again. Aryon promised himself he would break that finger off one day. Or maybe dip it in acid. Perhaps cut it off, and use a heated blade to close the wound…Yes, that was it. Aryon broke off his silent contemplation, when he noticed the other House leaders gazing upon him. He stood up, and put all of his magically persuasive enchantments to work. "You automatically mark House Telvanni behind these recent murders. You know us, we don't care about your petty houses. We have our marks set higher." Crassius Curio spoke up at this moment, and spoke with unusual power. "Excuse me, Master Aryon, but House Telvanni is the only house that hasn't been attacked! I am afraid that you're house is violating the acts of Inter-House warfare. Until we discover that this is some sort of freelancer, or some fool bent on veangance going about, then we have no choice but to have your House put under investigation by the Empire!" Curio fell back into his usual manner of speech then. "That's how the cookie crumbles sweetie." Aryon pondered these words for a moment, and then made his exit. At the door, he turned around, and spoke with an air of dignity, and power. "If you believe that searching House Telvanni will bring the evidence you require, so be it. House Telvanni shall not impede your progress."

"I told you fools what would happen! I told you what would happen if we reached too far! Blast it!" Aryon was infuriated. "How can we clean up this mess?" Ienab Indobar was the first to speak. "Solding knows of everyone he has hired…certainly, with House Telvanni's power and influence…we could have all the assassins killed?" Aryon immediately began shaking his head. "No, no, we need a scapegoat. Someone that would fit as an angry misfit, someone displeased with their lot in life…" Aryon suddenly perked up, his dark red eyes suddenly brightening. "Bring me Neloth…" Ienab smiled before the next words left his mouth. "Dead, preferably." Ienab dipped his shoulder in reverence, and left the tower. Ienab wouldn't want it any other way.

Lucafein woke up early the next morning, and ate his breakfast. He was on his way out, before he struck a conversation up with the innkeeper. "I know I have no chance of finding this assassin. I am just glad you convinced me of my proper place…" The innkeeper gave him a smug smile, and a little laugh. "Decided against dyin' did we? Good choice I say. Not that it matters. I hear that the Hlaalu are gonna' hunt down them uns' responsible, and gut em' good. The guys responsible have been leaving a special empiric seal. Dem' same guys that killed dose Redoran fellers a few days back too. Not the Morag Tong, but sum uver group. The Hlaalu are trying to get the group invalidated so they can go after them." Lucafein stifled a smirk. The Empire had been sponsoring them as an assassination group since he and his friends had left the Morag Tong…they recognized the clan as a valuable tool. The Hlaalu would be beating their head in a brick wall. Lucafein flashed his cheesiest grin. "Thanks for your time."

"Ranes…it seems your favorite client is somehow behind the recent deaths of our Hlaalu brethren." Orvas Dren looked upon his enforcer, and gave him a fierce look. "Therefore, he is going to have to be eliminated." Ranes Ienith frowned. Lucafein was a great contact, often gathering him special weapons, gold and jewels. Many enchanted weapons had been secured by Lucafein for payment, and Ranes didn't wish to destroy him. Even though he didn't like the cocky assassin, he certainly respected him as a valuable tool. Not to mention as a dangerous fighter. "This will be quite the excursion Master Dren…I'll need our best men, this character is quite the fighter…" I'll give you your choice of ten men. Certainly, that's enough to handle one man." Ranes left the villa in a bad mood. All the wonderful toys he got every month, were just going to go down the drain. _Lucafein always did have a huge amount of special weapons and enchantments though…that'll cover whatever usefulness he was to me. _Yes, Ranes thought. His usefulness ended now.

Lucafein walked in the Flowers of Gold Cornerclub, clutching the weapon given to him by Solding. He handed it to a dunmer at the entrance, and he handed it to another one sitting at a table. "Hello Ranes." Ranes Ienith was a Cammona Tong enforcer, and a good one at that. ""Why Lucafein…what can I help you with this beautiful day?" Lucafein hated the fool, but he needed him now. "I need you to transfer this Gold back to a bank in the Mainland." Lucafein hated having anything to do with the Cammona Tong, but they had the resources to pull off any such handling of money easily. His father had absorbed a tremendous amount of debt in the mainland, and Lucafein was still paying off his debts. Ten years after he died. His mother was the only family he had left, and he sent all of the money he could there every month. Usually, the Cammona Tong handled the shipments, for various prices. Today seemed not to be too out of the ordinary. Ranes broke the silence. Lucafein threw a large bag of gold on the table, and then a smaller bag with a few precious stones contained inside. "As per the usual. Four-thousand gold, with twenty precious stones to cover your regular rate." Ranes counted the gems, and pocketed them quickly. He then grabbed the dagger, placed it on his belt, and stood. "Great doing business…I've gotta run, talk later, right?" Lucafein simply gave his best fake smile, and said with similar false sincerity, "I can hardly wait until our paths cross again." Ranes grabbed the gold, and left. As Ranes left the Cornerclub, Lucafein noticed all to late that the regulars at the Cornerclub were gone. There were no Ordinators. The bartender…Lucafein was immediately on his guard. He calmly ordered a drink, and pretended to reach for some money in his vest. He discreetly inched his other hand towards the crossbow at his waist, knowing he would have to use it to get out of the door. "Cancel that drink order bartender, I've got to run…" The dunmer on his left struck first, stabbing at Lucafein's face with a large dagger. Lucafein leaned backwards in his chair, and grabbed one of his throwing daggers. He threw it at a dunmer in front of the door, and then fired a crossbow-bolt at the dunmer on his left. Both were direct hits, with the crossbow bolt utterly destroying the first dunmer, and his armor. The dagger hit the dunmer in the stomach, and he was now writhing in pain next to the wall. Lucafein returned the Crossbow to it's holster on his side, and drew his Daedric Katana. He used it in large sweeping motions, trying to give himself some room in the crowded Cornerclub. While all of the thugs about the room gave him some leeway, he grabbed his only three throwing stars, and threw them as hard as he could at the largest dunmer, who wielded a War Axe, and a shield. Predictably, the shield went up to intercept the missles, and Lucafein sprinted by, and cut at the back of his legs with

his Katana. Only a few steps from the door now, there were still two more dark elves in his way. _They just come out of the woodwork…_Lucafein thought, and grabbed his dagger from his side. The Black Hands dagger was once in the possession of the Morag Tong. When he left the secretive group, he made sure that Eno Hlaalu handed the weapon to its rightful owner. Lucafein first faked a stab with his katana at the dunmer on his right, and quickly changed the swords route, slashing at the other thug on his left. The blade had no real chance of hitting his target, but it took both of their minds off of the real threat; The Black Hands Dagger. Lucafein spun in a complete circle, and stabbed at the first dunmer. He brought his shield up quickly, and caught the dagger cleanly. The dunmer then brought his dwemer short sword, and stabbed with all his might. Or would have, had his arm still been attached. Instantly, he fell down, and screamed in agony. The other dunmer was not using his time idly, and he swung his glass longsword with all of his strength, trying to catch Lucafein napping. Lucafein caught the blade easily with his katana, and stabbed his former assailant with his dagger. He didn't stab him hard, and he knew he didn't have to. The dagger would blind him long enough to get out the door. He kicked down the door, and sprinted towards the exit. Five steps away from salvation, he was struck in the side by something. Something sharp, and very painful. _It seems they have an archer with them…_He put the Katana back in its holster, and whispered some words into one of his many rings. He didn't have time to see if his enchantment worked, and opened the door, walking into freedom.

So he thought. As soon as got out of the door, two men dressed in black accosted him. "We're here by order of Eno Hlaalu to end the life of one pitiful Lucafein Rodarys. I assume you know of who we're talking of." The cocky High Elf that was speaking was already getting on his nerves. He had to get out of this area quick, and back to Krysa and Tzan on the lower le...

"Oh no…" The High Elf had a laugh at this. "That's right tough guy. We're here to take you down." Lucafein didn't even acknowledge his presence. He simply sprinted towards the ramp that would take him to the lower level of the Redoran Compound. He had to get to Krysa and Tzan before anyone else did. Immediately, the Bosmer next to the High Elf reacted, and threw a throwing star at the assassin. The High Elf drew a sword, and prepared to chase him down the ramp.

Lucafein stopped, pivoted, and launched a small orb of magic at the high elf, and then drew his short sword. He jumped towards the Bosmer, and gave a mighty slash. The Bosmer didn't have any shield, and his armor couldn't stop the powerful swing. He fell to the ground with a heavy thud, and moved no more. Lucafein prepared to run towards the ramp again, but the Cammonna Tong operatives were coming out of the door, and rushing towards him. The High Elf was right behind him too. He knew if he wanted to get away, he'd have to try something desperate.

He secured his sword, checked his belongings, and jumped off the side of the canton.


End file.
